The Pitter Patter of Pirate Feet
by onceuponajollyroger
Summary: A CS/Daddy!Killian fic that explores the emotional journey of Emma and Killian throughout Emma's pregnancy: the before, during, and after in the delivery room. F for fluff and feels and B for baby!


Emma awoke in the middle of the night with a chill. Usually she was warmly snuggled in her husband's strong arms, but not tonight. She rolled over to see Killian staring intently, somewhat sadly, up at the ceiling. "What's wrong, Killian."

"Nothing, love," he replied with a bit of a start. He had been so immersed in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed his wife stirring.

"I'm a human lie-detector, remember? Besides, you've been acting weird for a few days now," Emma replied with a groggy sigh. She sat up and wiped her eyes, so she could get a better look at him. His eyes still remained focused on the ceiling, but his eyebrows were now furrowed as if he were warring with himself over whether or not to divulge whatever was bothering him.

"I adore, Henry. You know that right, Swan," he said quietly now facing her, searching her eyes for understanding.

"Of course, I do. You're an amazing father-figure to Henry," Emma said reassuringly. Killian gulped at her words.

He replied back in barely a whisper. "See lass, that's the thing. I'm a father _figure_ to the boy, not his father. It's just, I see your father with Neal, and Robin with Roland, and I can't help but want a wee lad or lass of my own," he sighed and rolled over to stare back up at the ceiling again.

Emma didn't know how to respond. She hadn't really thought about having another child. But of course, now that Killian mentioned it, she completely understood. He was constantly tagging along with Charming and Robin and other fathers in Storybrooke. Naturally he would want that for himself. Could she mother another child? They did have the spare room…Oh god, was she really considering this?

A few more minutes passed, with Emma and Killian both deep in thought before Emma finally broke the silence. Emma turned to Killian, lightly placing a hand on his chest. "Alright. Let's have a baby," she replied confidently.

Had he heard her correctly? Killian expected Emma to be firmly against the idea. She already had a son who was now in high school. She loved her job and her life. A baby would change things. And, though he tried to fight against it, he couldn't shake the small, but painful, voice inside his head that kept telling him that Emma would never want to have a no good pirate's baby. "What? That's it. You don't even need time to think about it?" he asked incredulously.

"Killian, I know this is a quick decision and-" she let out a chuckle, shocking even herself by what she was saying, "I hadn't thought about it before, but now that you mention it…Yes. Absolutely. I missed out on so much of Henry's childhood. I would love to experience raising a baby, and I want that with you," she said smiling down at him. She let out another laugh. This wasn't like Emma, but she couldn't help herself. She just felt so…_happy_ at the possibility of expanding her family.

Killian lay there silently for a moment more stunned at how easily Emma had taken his confession. He had been kicking himself for days trying to find a way to tell Emma he wanted a child, and she said yes without hesitation. She really was a marvel of a woman. "Well then, Swan, looks like we better get down to making a baby," he said with a devilish wink and a wiggle of his eyebrows.

* * *

Ugh. Maybe this hadn't been such a great idea, Emma thought as she hugged the toilet, head staring down miserably into the bowl. This was the fourth morning in a row that she's woken up with a fierce pain in her stomach only to jump from bed and rush to the bathroom. She stood up shakily and made her way slowly from the bathroom. She stood in bedroom staring, with slight irritation, down at her bed. Her _dashing_ husband was snoring softly, completely oblivious to his wife's ordeal. _Bastard_. This _was_ his fault, she thought. Her irritation quickly faded though when she noticed how young and carefree he looked in his sleep, his brown hair tousled from rolling in his sleep. She wondered if their child would have Killian's unruly hair. Emma stopped herself. She didn't even know if she was pregnant. She didn't want to get excited just yet. She decided to crawl back into bed to get an extra hour of sleep and take a test later that day.

Emma bought a pregnancy test that morning before heading to the station for work. She decided to take it during lunchtime when she knew David would be taking his break at home with Mary Margaret and Neal. The morning passed by slowly, but finally lunch rolled around and David took his leave. Emma rushed to the bathroom to take the test and waited for the results to show. What was only a few minutes felt like an eternity. Emma gripped the test tightly staring down at it hoping to see a plus sign. She recalled the last time she used a pregnancy test and her very different feelings at the time. She had just been abandoned and betrayed by the man she loved, arrested, and locked up in a scary prison. She remembered hoping against all odds that the test would come back negative. Now her feelings were the complete opposite. Emma wanted more than anything to have a little girl or boy with unruly brown hair and sea blue eyes. A sudden change on the test pulled her from her thoughts. Emma gazed down at the test in her hand to see a plus sign staring back at her. She squealed in delight. She, Emma Swan, actually squealed with happiness. Emma blamed it on the pregnancy hormones, but still couldn't shake the huge grin from her face. This was happening. She was pregnant. She was going to have a baby with Killian, and she couldn't contain her excitement. Emma left work early that day, making up a lame excuse to have David watch the station in her absence. She rushed to the doctor's office to have a blood test just to be certain.

Emma came home later that evening to find Killian sitting on the couch reading. She rushed over to him and plopped a shopping bag down on the coffee table in front of him. "Close your eyes! I got you a present!" she exclaimed, excitement oozing off of her as she practically bounced up and down with joy. Ever since her appointment at the doctor's office, she had been absolutely giddy. Emma could hardly believe herself, but she was far too happy to care about acting a bit silly.

"You got me a present?" he asked. "What's the occasion? Now I feel badly, Emma. I don't have anything for you," Killian replied, nervously scratching behind his ear.

"No, you _have_ given me a present-" Emma interrupted, as she reached around in the shopping bag. "Now I have one to give you. Come on. Close your eyes, Killian!" she commanded.

Killian smiled at her, clearly confused, but happy, with his wife's excitement. He closed his eyes as she had ordered. Emma pulled his presents out of the bag and then arranged them out on the coffee table for him to get a better look. "Ok, open them," she said gazing back and forth between him and the gifts with pride in her eyes.

Lying along the table were two tiny outfits. Killian looked at them in confusion before scooting up on the couch to get a better look at them. One outfit was a navy blue onesie dress with white anchors patterned across it. Next to it was a white and blue striped onesie with a pirate ship across the chest. Killian stared down at the two little outfits his hand now covering his mouth in surprise as he rapidly blinked his eyes to fight back his emotions. "Emma," he said removing his hand to display a nervous smile.

"It's too early to know the gender, so I figured I'd be safe with both of these," she said softly.

Killian jumped to his feet and pulled Emma into a tight hug before pulling back to face her, shocked surprise and pure joy rushing over his face. "Are you really? You're sure? We're really having a baby?" the questions tumbling from his lips. Emma smiled back at him, tears welling in both of their eyes. Her heart felt like it was about to burst out of her chest. He was cupping her cheek in his hand looking at her like she was the greatest treasure in the world. In that moment, Emma felt more loved and cherished than she ever had before.

"Yes," she said with a tight laugh as a stray tear rolled down her face, "we're having a baby. I'm about two months along, so we still have some time before we get to meet this little one."

Killian placed soft kisses to her forehead, nose, and finally lips before looking into her eyes. "I love you so much, Emma." Then he bent down and placed a delicate kiss against her stomach before laying his head against it. "And I love you too, little one."

* * *

Months flew by as Emma and Killian prepared for the arrival of their child. As Emma's stomach grew bigger, the notion that they were truly going to become parents together became more real. At Killian's insistence, the couple borrowed at least a dozen books from Storybrooke's library on parenting techniques and child development. At one point, they left the library each balancing a stack of books in their hands. Belle chuckled at the sight before assuring them that they would clearly make excellent parents. Killian was surprised that the Crocodile's wife of all people would being paying him a compliment, but he took it all the same and was grateful for it. To be quite honest, Killian was becoming quite terrified at the prospect of becoming a parent.

At first, his child was simply an idea to daydream about and happily plan with Emma, but everything changed during one of Emma's doctor's appointments. To Killian's bewilderment, this realm's magic had actually allowed them to see their unborn child while it was still growing in Emma's belly. Emma insisted to him that it was not magic at all, but technology. Killian argued that it was most definitely magic, but their attention was redirected when the image of their child showed up on the screen. They were both speechless as they stared at the gray and white form of their developing baby. The doctor informed them that they were having a baby boy and printed off a picture of sonogram for them to take home. That was when it became real for Killian. The _idea_ of having a baby turned into the _reality_ of having a son, a little lad of his very own to teach to sail and swordfight. Killian would tell his son stories of the many realms he had visited and he would raise him to be an honorable man with a good code. He was happy, he was excited, and he was terrified.

Killian channeled his nervous energy into making the best nursery possible. He wanted to start off parenting on the right foot and preparing a nice nursery would be a good place to begin. He, Emma, and Henry had great fun painting the walls sea blue and lining the top of the walls with a sailboat wallpaper pattern. They bought a beautiful wooden crib and hung a whale mobile above it. Marco built them a rocking chair for the nursery where they could sit and rock their new baby to sleep. David and Snow were ecstatic about being grandparents again and helped Emma and Killian stock the room with toys. Most of the clothes shopping was done by Emma and Killian though. Emma complained that they were going overboard on the whole sailing theme, but Killian still insisted on buying a few pirate themed onesies for their little lad. Pirate was in his blood after all.

Reading every parenting book he could find, furnishing the nursery, and stocking the house with baby supplies still didn't manage to ease Killian's nerves. When Emma reached eight and a half months and they had packed their hospital bag and made firm plans about the delivery of the baby, Killian went into full panic mode. This was happening. After all these years, centuries and centuries of life, he was going to become a father. How could he do this? How could he be the father his son deserved? Killian's own father had abandoned him. What if he did the same to his son? What if he couldn't be there for him?

One day, in a sheer panic, Killian set off in search of Dave. Though Killian and David hadn't always had the best relationship, they had grown quite close ever since Killian and Emma married. Killian considered David to be his best mate and to be an exemplary father himself. Killian couldn't express his worries and fears to Emma; he didn't want her doubting him as a father. David was the only one he could turn to. Killian reached the loft before knocking loudly on the door. He bounced on his feet in the hallway, eager to get his conversation with David started. The door swung open, and he was greeted with the friendly smile of his mother-in-law.

"Killian, come in! What brings you here today?" she asked pulling on his arm to encourage him inside. Snow had been much more difficult to win over than her husband. In fact, she hadn't really warmed up to Killian until Emma's pregnancy. When Snow saw how devoted Killian was to Emma and their unborn son, her heart quickly melted and she finally let her guard down about Killian.

"Actually Snow, I was hoping Dave was around. Just wanted to chat with him about some things.." Killian replied his eyes scanning the apartment eagerly in search of his mate.

Snow raised her eyebrow slightly, staring at his face a little too intently for Killian's comfort. He could almost swear that she knew exactly why he had come there in search of her husband. She probably did. "He's at the park with Neal," Snow replied, pulling Killian from his thoughts. "Why don't you go down there and join them? I know they'd love your company."

He sighed. Yes, she definitely knew why he was seeking out David. Were his nerves that apparent? He shook his head, attempting to shake the thoughts from his mind, before thanking Snow and exiting the apartment.

Killian made his way to Storybrooke's park and caught sight of David chasing little Neal around. David's arms were stretched out in front of him with his fingers hooked as if imitating claws. He was stomping around and making growling noises as he chased his son. He looked like an absolute git, and Killian wondered if he would behave in such a silly manner after his son was born. Neal squealed with delight as his father continued to chase him around, gigging happily when David finally scooped him up into a crushing hug. Killian smiled down at them. Of course he would behave like a silly git, and he couldn't wait.

The four-year-old prince broke free of his father's grip and took off running again. The boy only made it a few feet before he tripped over a root on the ground and came crashing down. Neal's infectious giggles quickly turned to heart-wrenching sobs as he sat up and inspected his dirty form. David calmly walked over and picked up his crying son. He dusted off his head and body, wiped his tears away, and placed a sweet kiss to his forehead before giving him a little pat on the back and sending him off to play again. Just like that, the little prince was running off getting back to his fun. Killian had sought out the right man indeed. David was a pro. David turned around to sit on the park bench when he caught sight of Killian. David motioned for his mate to join him and finally spoke up when Killian was seated.

"Snow called a few minutes ago. She said you would be paying me a visit," David said with a small grin. "She also said you seemed a bit on edge."

Killian gaped at that, offended. Though if he had to admit it, he was a bit more offended at their ability to read him so well than he was at their conversation. Killian sighed before getting straight to his point.

"That was brilliant you know," Killian nodded his head towards Neal before continuing. "You're a natural. You can play with him and be silly, but you can also wipe away his tears and calm him down when he's upset. How did you know you could that before you had him, before you had Emma? How did you know you could be a good father?" Killian's voice cracked a bit at the end of his last question. He hoped David hadn't noticed.

David sighed before giving Killian a somber look in response. "In Henry's book, Prince Charming is said to be brave and fearless," David paused meeting Killian's eyes before continuing, "but _David…_well he isn't without fears. I was terrified before Neal was born. I was afraid that I would lose him, that I would fail him, like I failed Emma-"

"You didn't fail Emma!" Killian interjected shaking his head adamantly. "You did the best you could when put in a terrible position."

David nodded at that and jumped in, "Well that's what being a father is. You do the best you can when put in a very complicated situation. I know you're scared Killian, but that only means you care. You're a damn good father to Henry. It's no easy feat stepping in and taking over a role left vacant by someone else. You've helped Henry deal with his father's loss, and you've been there for him."

Killian nodded at his mate's words. He was grateful for David's reassurance, and the fact that David thought he was a good father to Henry meant the world to Killian. Still, the pit in his stomach, which threatened to swallow him up in fear, was still there. "I haven't even met this child yet and already he is the most important person in my life," Killian's voice fell to barely a whisper before he finally asked the question that had been killing him for the past few months, the thought that haunted him relentlessly, "What if I'm not good enough, Dave?"

They sat in silence for a minute, though it felt like an eternity, and watched Neal play in the distance. He was chasing a butterfly: silly just like his father. They both laughed in unison before David responded, finally breaking their silence, "You'll be a great father, Killian. I have full confidence in you. Now come on. Stop being such a mope," David let out a chuckle and clapped him on the shoulder, "And you call yourself a _pirate_."

Killian rolled his eyes, but smiled back. _Gods_, he was still nervous, but Killian had to admit he felt better after his chat with Dave. He really was a good mate.

* * *

Emma's water broke at the sheriff's station. Even though she was already on maternity leave, Emma just couldn't keep herself from checking in on work. David had been there to drive her to the hospital and call Killian at home. Killian had never moved faster in his life, flying from his place at the kitchen table, grabbing their overnight bag, and rushing at a maddening pace to the hospital.

Killian held Emma's hand through the entire delivery whispering words of encouragement and praise to her during her labor. At one point she squeezed his hand so hard he feared he would end up with hooks on both arms, but Killian resisted the urge to make a sarcastic joking, fearing his wife _would_ break his hand.

When his son, _his son_, was finally born and Killian gazed fondly down at the little lad nestled tightly in Emma's arms, Killian felt a wave of happiness and contentedness surge over him. After centuries of revenge, hate, and painful, painful loss, little Liam David Jones, who had only been in this world for mere minutes, had managed to completely take away all of his pain. Killian felt a sense of purpose. Everything Killian had gone through had brought him here to this moment with his beautiful wife and their perfect son.

Emma gave him a tired, but overwhelmingly happy smile before carefully handing Liam over to his father. Killian nervously took the little lad in his arms careful to keep him balanced and comfortable. Killian would never admit it, but he had secretly practiced cradling some of Neal's stuffed toys in his arms, so he would be prepared for his own lad.

Liam had a small tuff of dark brown hair atop his head and was looking up at his father with his baby blue eyes. All the books Killian read never prepared him for the overwhelming sense of joy and emotion he felt holding his child for the first time. A few stray tears escaped before Killian turned to Emma. "I was a pirate for 300 years and never did I find a more beautiful, valuable treasure. You've given this to me, Emma. Thank you."


End file.
